Just before Easter I had a call to say that my elderly grandmother had suffered a stroke. I remembered vaguely, from my reflexology diploma study days the anatomy and physiology parts which covered stroke. But I thought I should refresh my memory about the causes of and rehabilitation from stroke. The Stroke Association says: A stroke is what happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. Blood carries essential nutrients and oxygen to

the brain. Without a blood supply, brain cells can be damaged or destroyed and won’t be able to do their job.

Because the brain controls everything the body does, damage to the brain will affect body functions. For example, if a stroke damages the part of the brain that controls how limbs move, limb movement will be affected.

The brain also controls how we think, learn, feel and communicate. A stroke can also affect these mental processes.

A stroke is sudden and the effects on the body are immediate.

The NHS says:
There are two main causes of strokes:
• Ischaemic (accounting for 70% of all cases): the blood supply is stopped due to a blood clot.
• Haemorrhagic: a weakened blood vessel supplying the brain bursts and causes brain damage.

From my days working in the NHS, I remember that speed was of the essence when dealing with patients who had just suffered a stroke. The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has clinical guidance for the 'Diagnosis and initial management of acute stroke and transient ischaemic attack (TIA)' as well as a guideline in development for 'stroke rehabilitation'.